Whitbourne shooting trial: Police found wounded man lying in street (From Hereford Times)

Whitbourne shooting trial: Police found wounded man lying in street

10:20am Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News

Police sent to investigate reports of a man shot in the leg were told that he had been gunned down in the street and not at a smallholidng near Bromyard, a jury have heard.

PC Lee Palmer was directed to a chinese takeway in Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire, and found Robert Richards lying on the pavement and Darren Randall "in a panic" by his side, it was alleged.

Richards had a large shotgun wound in the back of his right thigh and was groaning in a lot of pain, PC Palmer said in a statement read at Worcester Crown Court.

Asked what had happened, Randall claimed they were "just walking along" when he heard a bang and his friend fell to the ground.

But the prosecution allege the pair were members of a gang who tried to burgle a smallholding called Stocking Gobbetts in Stocking Lane, Whitbourne, earlier that night when Richards was shot by the owner Malcolm White.

A cannabis farm was discovered at the property on October 5 last year and weapons belonging to Mr White who lived there with his partner Josephine Merrick.

Police believe the burglars returned fire at the time Richards was shot but left empty-handed in three vehicles.

Randall was arrested at the scene and Richards was rushed to hospital in Worcester.

He lost the lower half of his leg and sits in court with a metal replacement.

Randall, aged 25, of Yardley Fields Road, Birmingham, and 29-year-old Richards, of Scholars Green, Birmingham, deny aggravated attempted burglary.

The trial continues...